Scottish Executive

Ambulance Service

Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether ambulance response times from GP requests have increased in Angus since the withdrawal of acute services from Stracathro Hospital.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Ambulance Service’s response to GPs urgent calls in Angus continues to improve when measured against the national response time target for such calls. The service aim to transfer 95% of these requests to hospital within 15 minutes of the time agreed with the doctor. In Angus, the service achieved the target in 90.7% of cases in 2001-02, an improvement of 2% on the previous year.

Ambulance Service

Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-25216 by Malcolm Chisholm on 2 May 2002, whether the figure of 90.7% can be specifically broken down into requests from GPs for ambulances within (a) one hour and (b) two hours.

Malcolm Chisholm: The figure of 90.7% within the response time target covers all requests from GP’s in the Angus area to the Scottish Ambulance Service in 2001-02. The breakdown of that figure to illustrate performance against a one hour, two hour, three hour and four hour or more request time by the GP is provided in the following table.

  

 

2001-02 
  



No. of Calls 
  

Performance 
  



All Requests 
  

4,161 
  

90.7% 
  



1 hour request 
  

426 
  

88.3% 
  



2 hour request 
  

2,438 
  

91.7% 
  



3 hour request 
  

1,104 
  

90.2% 
  



4+ hour request 
  

193 
  

86.5%

Ambulance Service

Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what procedure is used by the Scottish Ambulance Service in circumstances when it cannot meet time requests for ambulances made by GPs.

Malcolm Chisholm: Where it becomes clear that the timeframe requested is unlikely to be achieved, then the service will contact the GP to check on the continued well-being of the patient. If the GP feels that the patient’s condition has changed and requires an immediate response, then the call will be upgraded to an emergency call with the first available ambulance being dispatched.

Anti-Social Behaviour

Colin Campbell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether a reduction in anti-social behaviour would be a consequence of the withdrawal of state benefits from an individual.

Ms Margaret Curran: The Scottish Executive’s view is that this would depend on the particular circumstances involved.

Anti-Social Behaviour

Colin Campbell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the most effective tools and sanctions currently available are to tackle anti-social behaviour.

Ms Margaret Curran: There are a range of tools and sanctions available to tackle anti-social behaviour ranging from mediation to the use of Anti-Social Behaviour Orders and eviction. It is relevant bodies such as landlords, local authorities and the police, to determine, in the light of the nature of the problem and the particular circumstances of the case, the most effective response.

Arts

Mr John McAllion (Dundee East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-24558 by Mike Watson on 23 April 2002, what action it is taking to enhance the cultural role of cities by ensuring that the national art collection is available to all.

Mike Watson: Responding to the need to make the national collections more widely accessible and visible to the public, the National Galleries of Scotland are participating in the development of a scheme to increase lending to smaller museums and galleries around Scotland.

Autism

Mr Lloyd Quinan (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in the implementation of the recommendations of the Public Health Institute of Scotland’s report on autistic spectrum disorders , Needs Assessment Report .

Mr Frank McAveety: We are in the early stages of considering implementation of the report.

Birds

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many red kites have been killed illegally in each of the last five years.

Allan Wilson: There are difficulties in identifying with certainty where illegal poisoning has taken place. The RSPB has, however, supplied the following statistics, based on information collated by them.

  


1997 
  

4 (poisoned) 
  



1998 
  

4 (poisoned) 
  



1999 
  

1 (poisoned) 
  



2000 
  

4 (poisoned) 
  



2001 
  

10 (poisoned)

Birds

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of the red kite population has been killed illegally in each of the last five years.

Allan Wilson: There are difficulties in identifying the scale of illegal killing. Data published by the RSPB suggests that about 36% of red kites may have been killed illegally since their re-introduction to Scotland in 1989.

Child Poverty

Tommy Sheridan (Glasgow) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what its definition of child poverty is; how many and what percentage of children have officially met this definition in each of the last five years, and how many children of school age are currently estimated to be living in poor households, based on the same definition.

Ms Margaret Curran: There is no single definition of child poverty.

  Household income is one way of measuring child poverty, but we also understand child poverty in a wider sense focusing on giving all children the best start in life, and, providing appropriate and integrated services for children, in health and education and housing. The Social Justice Annual Report contains six milestones relating to children which describe different aspects of poverty and social exclusion and 20 measures of child income. These are the measures on which we judge our success in tackling child poverty in Scotland.

  Table 1 details the proportion of children below our range of low income household thresholds and cover the latest five years for which data are available. Table 2 provides the same information but includes school age children only. Tables 3 and 4 provide this information in terms of our absolute measurement, 60% of median GB income (after housing costs) taken from our base year of 1996-97.

  Table 1 – Proportion of Children in Low Income Households in Scotland (Relative Measure)1

  


 


50% Mean 
  

60% Mean 
  

50% Median 
  

60% Median 
  

70% Median 
  



BHC2


AHC3


BHC 
  

AHC 
  

BHC 
  

AHC 
  

BHC 
  

AHC 
  

BHC 
  

AHC 
  



1996-97 
  

29 
  

34 
  

41 
  

43 
  

15 
  

21 
  

29 
  

34 
  

39 
  

42 
  



1997-98 
  

29 
  

32 
  

40 
  

41 
  

14 
  

21 
  

28 
  

30 
  

38 
  

40 
  



1998-99 
  

28 
  

31 
  

39 
  

41 
  

14 
  

23 
  

26 
  

30 
  

35 
  

37 
  



1999-2000 
  

26 
  

31 
  

39 
  

41 
  

12 
  

19 
  

24 
  

29 
  

36 
  

38 
  



2000-01 
  

27 
  

32 
  

39 
  

43 
  

12 
  

16 
  

25 
  

30 
  

35 
  

38 
  



  Table 2 – Proportion of School Age Children4 in Low Income Households in Scotland (Relative Measure)

  


 


50% Mean 
  

60% Mean 
  

50% Median 
  

60% Median 
  

70% Median 
  



BHC 
  

AHC 
  

BHC 
  

AHC 
  

BHC 
  

AHC 
  

BHC 
  

AHC 
  

BHC 
  

AHC 
  



1996-97 
  

31 
  

34 
  

41 
  

42 
  

16 
  

22 
  

31 
  

33 
  

40 
  

42 
  



1997-98 
  

31 
  

33 
  

41 
  

43 
  

15 
  

22 
  

29 
  

31 
  

39 
  

41 
  



1998-99 
  

29 
  

31 
  

40 
  

42 
  

16 
  

25 
  

28 
  

30 
  

37 
  

37 
  



1999-2000 
  

27 
  

30 
  

39 
  

40 
  

12 
  

20 
  

25 
  

28 
  

36 
  

38 
  



2000-01 
  

27 
  

32 
  

40 
  

42 
  

13 
  

17 
  

25 
  

30 
  

35 
  

38 
  



  Table 3 – Proportion of Children in Low Income Households in Scotland (Absolute Measure)5

  


 


50% Mean 
  

60% Mean 
  

50% Median 
  

60% Median 
  

70% Median 
  



BHC 
  

AHC 
  

BHC 
  

AHC 
  

BHC 
  

AHC 
  

BHC 
  

AHC 
  

BHC 
  

AHC 
  



1996-97 
  

29 
  

34 
  

41 
  

43 
  

15 
  

21 
  

29 
  

34 
  

39 
  

42 
  



1997-98 
  

27 
  

30 
  

39 
  

40 
  

14 
  

20 
  

27 
  

29 
  

38 
  

40 
  



1998-99 
  

25 
  

29 
  

35 
  

37 
  

13 
  

19 
  

25 
  

28 
  

33 
  

34 
  



1999-2000 
  

21 
  

25 
  

34 
  

36 
  

9 
  

14 
  

21 
  

25 
  

31 
  

34 
  



2000-01 
  

18 
  

22 
  

31 
  

34 
  

9 
  

11 
  

17 
  

21 
  

30 
  

32 
  



  Table 4 – Proportion of School Age Children in Low Income Households in Scotland (Absolute Measure)

  


 


50% Mean 
  

60% Mean 
  

50% Median 
  

60% Median 
  

70% Median 
  



BHC 
  

AHC 
  

BHC 
  

AHC 
  

BHC 
  

AHC 
  

BHC 
  

AHC 
  

BHC 
  

AHC 
  



1996-97 
  

31 
  

34 
  

41 
  

42 
  

16 
  

22 
  

31 
  

33 
  

40 
  

42 
  



1997-98 
  

28 
  

31 
  

41 
  

41 
  

15 
  

21 
  

28 
  

30 
  

39 
  

41 
  



1998-99 
  

27 
  

29 
  

37 
  

37 
  

15 
  

21 
  

26 
  

29 
  

35 
  

35 
  



1999-2000 
  

22 
  

25 
  

34 
  

35 
  

9 
  

15 
  

22 
  

24 
  

31 
  

33 
  



2000-01 
  

19 
  

23 
  

32 
  

33 
  

9 
  

11 
  

18 
  

22 
  

30 
  

32 
  



  Notes:

  1. Thresholds are measured against the GB mean or median for the relevant year.

  2. Before housing costs.

  3. After housing costs.

  4. Defined as dependent children aged between five and 18.

  5. Thresholds are measured against the GB mean or median for 1996-97 uprated to remove the effects of inflation.

  6. All figures are based on a sample survey, and as such are subject to sampling variation. Care should therefore be taken in their interpretation.

Child Welfare

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding has been allocated (a) nationally and (b) to each local authority in the current year and the next three financial years to tackle running away.

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding has been allocated (a) nationally and (b) to each local authority to tackle children abused through prostitution in the current and next three financial years.

Cathy Jamieson: Funding specific to tackling running away and children abused through prostitution is not separately identified or monitored, but the Executive is providing resources for a wide range of initiatives focused on the overall development and well-being of children, to help address many of the underlying causes. These include the Changing Children’s Services Fund, Sure Start Scotland and New Community Schools.

Child Welfare

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding has been allocated to individual charities in the current and next three financial years to tackle running away.

Cathy Jamieson: The Scottish Executive has awarded funding of just under £100,000 over three years to Aberlour Childcare Trust for their Running Other Choices project. This project aims to help young people to find solutions to the circumstances which have caused them to run away from home and to find alternatives to running. In addition, the Scottish Executive provides funding to a range of charities providing services for vulnerable children and young people including runaways.

Child Welfare

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding has been allocated to individual charities to tackle children abused through prostitution in the current year and next three financial years.

Cathy Jamieson: The Scottish Executive funds a wide range of charities providing services for vulnerable children and young people including those abused through prostitution. These include ChildLine Scotland, Children First and Who Cares Scotland.

Civil Service

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what mechanism it has in place to prevent solicitors employed by the civil service who advise it on transactions with Her Majesty’s Government from breaching rule 4 of the Solicitors (Scotland) Practice Rules 1986.

Colin Boyd QC: As civil servants, solicitors employed in the civil service owe their loyalty to the particular administration which they serve and are accountable to the minister in charge of their department. No conflict of interest therefore arises for the purposes of rule 4 of the Solicitors (Scotland) Practice Rules 1986 or otherwise.

Communities

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what support and funding it offers to local communities in order to help them purchase or acquire for community use any former local authority premises designated surplus to the authority's requirements.

Hugh Henry: The Scottish Executive does not make funds available to local communities for the specific purpose of purchasing local authority premises that are surplus to the authority’s requirements.

Communities

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will support the bids for financial assistance for the building of a community hall and ancillary facilities by the community of Castlecary in North Lanarkshire.

Ms Margaret Curran: I am unaware of any such bids for financial assistance to build a community hall and ancillary facilities. However, if a formal approach were to be made to Communities Scotland this would be considered and assessed against the other demands in the North Lanarkshire Council area.

Education

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what financial support it makes available to provide English language classes to overseas students other than those students who are asylum seekers and refugees.

Iain Gray: Further education students must meet the residency criteria set out in the Further Education Bursaries (Scotland) Direction 1997 before further education colleges can consider them for course support. This support consists of maintenance and travel and study allowances along with the further education additional funds i.e. young students retention fund, hardship funds and childcare. All funding is allocated on a discretionary basis and is means tested. The student can undertake any course which is eligible for recurrent funding from the Scottish Further Education Funding Council and is for non-advanced education leading to a qualification.

  In terms of funding support to colleges, changes introduced by the Scottish Executive last autumn further strengthened ministerial commitment to provision of English language classes for new members of the community from overseas.

Finance

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what its estimate is of the cost of reducing the non-domestic rates poundage to 43.7p and how this estimate is computed.

Mr Andy Kerr: The Scottish Executive’s current estimate, based on the first estimates of non-domestic rate revenue for 2002-03 received from local authorities, is £149 million. This figure represents the difference between the amount of non-domestic rates that local authorities estimate will be collected in 2002-03 at the poundage currently in force of 47.8p (£1,740 million) and the proportionately lower amount that would be collected if the poundage were reduced to 43.7p (£1,740 million x 43.7/47.8 = £1,591 million). The 2p poundage discount available for small properties and the various reliefs offered to ratepayers would also have some impact on the cost of reducing the poundage, but insufficient information is available to quantify these effects.

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether (a) Botox injections have a proven long-term safety record, (b) hairdressing salons currently administering such injections are doing so safely whilst giving customers appropriate medical advice and (c) this form of cosmetic treatment should be subject to regulation under the Regulation of Care (Scotland) Act 2001.

Malcolm Chisholm: This is a reserved matter. The Medicines Control Agency (MCA) is the executive arm of the UK Government, which regulates medicines for human use. The MCA in conjunction with the Committee on Safety of Medicines (CSM) is responsible for monitoring the safety of all marketed medicines to ensure that medicines meet acceptable standards of safety and efficacy.

  Botox is a prescription only medicine (POM) which was granted a marketing authorisation in the UK in 1994 and is indicated for the symptomatic relief of blepharospasm, hemifacial spasm, idiopathic cervical dystonia, severe hyperhidrosis of the axillae and dynamic equinus foot deformity. As for all medicines, the safety of Botox is continuously monitored.

  Botox is not licensed for use as a cosmetic aid in the UK. A doctor may prescribe the drug for this purpose, but the legal responsibility for the decision rests with the doctor. The prescriber should be aware of potential adverse reactions and should inform the patient of these. As such, the decision to prescribe Botox depends on the clinical judgement of the doctor concerned, bearing in mind the risks and benefits of its use.

Health

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will support NHS boards in prescribing anti-TNF (tumour necrosis factor) for children and adults, following the National Institute for Clinical Excellence recommendations, prior to the Health Technology Board for Scotland issuing its own guidance.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Health Technology Board for Scotland’s Comment on the anti-TNF drugs etanercept and infliximab issued on 17 May. The comment can be accessed on the board’s website:

  www.htbs.co.uk

  NHSScotland should take account of advice and evidence from the board and ensure that recommended drugs and treatments are made available to meet clinical need.

Health

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it supports NHS boards in prescribing Cox-2 in accordance with existing guidelines from the Health Technology Board for Scotland.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Executive welcomes the Health Technology Board for Scotland’s Comment on the use of Cox II selective inhibitors. NHSScotland should take account of this advice and ensure that these treatments are made available to meet clinical need.

Health

Nicola Sturgeon (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the difference is between the educational and clinical preparation required for each post of nurse consultant.

Malcolm Chisholm: Consultant nurse/midwives undertake a combination of educational and clinical preparation.

  The nature of a consultant nurse/midwife post will demand a portfolio of career-long learning, experience and formal education; the postholder will have been working towards a master’s degree; research experience, and a record of scholarship and publication.

Health

Nicola Sturgeon (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how the value for money for the NHS of investment in continuing professional development for nurses and professions allied to medicine will be evaluated.

Malcolm Chisholm: Generally continuing professional development (CPD) is the responsibility of the trusts to support and evaluate, based on service and staff needs, for all staff including nurses and professions allied to medicine (PAMs).

  However, on occasion the Scottish Executive Health Department provides targeted funding for specific initiatives e.g. the £1.75 million announced for CPD as part of Facing the Future. Decisions have still to be made about how this money will be distributed and evaluated.

  Other targeted funding such as the Specialists Nursing Initiative, or Clinical Effectiveness funding for PAMs have been monitored to ensure effective use of resources.

Health

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to improve the fee rates for optometrists working for the NHS to take account of any differing time taken for patient examination, and what the reasons are for its policy on this matter.

Mr Frank McAveety: NHS sight test fees are negotiated on a UK basis by the health departments. Differing times for eye examinations is an element that the profession has raised in its negotiations with the health departments on the annual increase in the NHS sight test fee.

Health

Nicola Sturgeon (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it intends to establish the short-term task group, as proposed in section 5 of Planning Together - Final Report of the Scottish Integrated Workforce Planning Group , to support the implementation of the principles for integrated workforce planning and the principles contained in A Framework for Maternity Services in Scotland .

Malcolm Chisholm: Planning Together , was published alongside our proposals for establishing a comprehensive workforce development infrastructure for NHSScotland at local, regional and national level. This whole systems approach to integrated workforce planning will provide coherent and structured arrangements for addressing the workforce aspects of all services, including the maternity services framework.

  An action plan will be issued to reflect the feedback gained from the Workforce Development Action Day held on 15 April and to set out a critical path for creating a robust workforce development function, which integrates workforce planning with service planning across all services in NHSScotland.

  In the meantime, a short-life expert group on maternity services has been convened to determine a model specification for the provision of acute maternity services. As part of its work, this group is examining the workforce needs which arise from the modernisation of maternity services, in line with the principles enshrined in A Framework for Maternity Services in Scotland.

Health

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what injuries and damage to health can occur from coming into contact with vegetation such as giant hogweed and how many incidences of such have occurred in each of the last three years, broken down by NHS board area.

Malcolm Chisholm: The sap of the Giant Hogweed plant (Heracleum Mantegazzianum) is mildly toxic by ingestion, and may cause irritation of the mouth, hypersalivation and mild gastrointestinal upset.

  Skin contact can cause severe dermatitis and photosensitisation. Redness and irritation usually develop within 24 hours with formation of painful blisters.

  Information about how many such incidents have occurred in each of the last three years is not recorded centrally.

Health

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what medical treatment is available to treat sufferers of organophosphate poisoning.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Poisons Information Bureau is the main source of advice to the NHS on treatment of poisoning for a wide variety of toxic substances including organophosphates. Their TOXBASE database gives details of treatment options for organophosphate poisoning that include decontamination of exposed skin, gastric lavage, protection of the airway and administration of oxygen, atropine, pralidoxime mesylate and diazepam. Selection of the appropriate combination of these treatments depends on the nature and severity of exposure.

Health

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many and what percentage of methadone prescriptions are exempt from NHS charges in each NHS board area.

Malcolm Chisholm: The following table shows the number and percentage of items dispensed free of charge in each NHS board area in 2000-01, the most recent complete year for which information is available.

  Methadone – Items Dispensed Free of Charge in 2000-01

  


Health Board 
  

Number of items dispensed free of charge 
  

Percentage of items dispensed free of charge 
  



Argyll and Clyde 
  

23,676 
  

97.36 
  



Ayrshire and Arran 
  

25,860 
  

97.31 
  



Borders 
  

468 
  

89.83 
  



Dumfries and Galloway 
  

6,903 
  

95.37 
  



Fife 
  

10,847 
  

95.17 
  



Forth Valley 
  

2,925 
  

94.54 
  



Grampian 
  

24,970 
  

92.72 
  



Greater Glasgow 
  

96,268 
  

97.34 
  



Highland 
  

2,321 
  

97.19 
  



Lanarkshire 
  

27,972 
  

96.66 
  



Lothian 
  

25,518 
  

96.98 
  



Orkney 
  

9 
  

100.00 
  



Shetland 
  

631 
  

96.78 
  



Tayside 
  

16,563 
  

96.45 
  



Western Isles 
  

3 
  

100.00 
  



Total 
  

264,934 
  

96.25 
  



  These data include instalment dispensings, where patients are given one prescription, for which a single charge is payable, but receive their medication in instalments.

  These data refer to prescriptions dispensed in the community and do not take into account medicines dispensed by hospitals or hospital based clinics.

Hepatitis

Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what its policy is with regard to the prevention of hepatitis B.

Malcolm Chisholm: Immunisation against hepatitis B has been recommended for people at increased risk of infection since 1988. The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, which provides expert advice on issues relating to vaccination and immunisation to all UK health departments, is currently reviewing hepatitis B immunisation strategies. This work will take account of a recent pilot study in Glasgow which examined the feasibility and effectiveness of immunising adolescents against hepatitis B.

  The Executive has also developed a range of policies and measures to reduce transmission, including, for example, guidance and protocols for health care workers and students, advice on immunisation for drug misusers and their partners, and antenatal screening for pregnant women.

Housing

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to include in its housing policy proposals similar to those operating in Norway, where the state provides a level of loan for housing based on meeting certain criteria for example in providing benefits to the environment.

Ms Margaret Curran: The Executive has no plans at present for the introduction of such loans.

Housing

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what rent protection will be in place for voluntary organisations leasing commercial properties at a discounted price from Glasgow City Council if these properties transfer to the Glasgow Housing Association and whether such protection will be legally binding.

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether many voluntary organisations in Glasgow may face financial ruin if required to pay commercial rents for properties let from Glasgow City Council and whether it can provide any guarantees that voluntary organisations will not be adversely affected following the Glasgow housing stock transfer.

Ms Margaret Curran: As indicated in the answer given to question S1W-24649 on 13 May 2002, the Glasgow Housing Association (GHA) will take over the existing leases of all the commercial properties transferring as part of the housing transfer. The terms of future leases will be a matter for discussion between the GHA and the lessee.

Housing

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what input it has had to the report of the Commission on the Private Rented Sector  Private Renting: A New Settlement and whether it will consider any of the report’s recommendations for private rented sector accommodation in Scotland.

Ms Margaret Curran: The Commission on the Private Rented Sector was set up by Shelter and the Joseph Rowntree Foundation as an independent body to look at issues in respect of the private rented sector. The commission’s remit did not extend to Scotland and the Scottish Executive did not provide any evidence to it. However, the Housing Improvement Task Force is currently looking at some of the issues that the commission has made recommendations on and the commissions report has been made available to the members of the task force sub-group working on the private rented sector.

Housing

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking in regard to any undersupply of affordable houses for rent.

Margaret Curran: I have asked Mr Bob Millar, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond. His response is as follows:

  Consistent with the priority to be given to the provision of affordable rented housing, planned expenditure by Communities Scotland in 2002-03 on new and improved housing will increase year on year by £4.231 million to £183.575 million in 2002-03.

Housing

Colin Campbell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the impact of the Housing Benefit (Withholding of Payment) Bill would be on (a) homelessness and (b) rent arrears.

Ms Margaret Curran: Our understanding is that the UK Government has given a commitment to work with Frank Field to improve the drafting of this bill and we are liasing closely with the UK Government. When a revised version of the bill is available, we will consider its implications for the Scottish Executive’s devolved responsibilities.

Housing

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects the second report of the Housing Improvement Task Force to be published.

Ms Margaret Curran: The intention is that the second report of the Housing Improvement Task Force should be published by spring 2003.

Housing (Scotland) Act 2001

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it is making on its guidance on pressurised market status in relation to the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001.

Ms Margaret Curran: Draft guidance dealing with the right to buy changes contained in the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001 – including the provisions pertaining to pressured areas – was issued for consultation in December 2001. Twenty-six responses from interested bodies were received by the end of the consultation period in March. These have been considered and we hope to issue the final guidance in July.

Local Government Finance

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to make supplementary grants to the six local authorities identified in Professor Arthur Midwinter’s report Grant Distribution and the Mismatch Effect: An Assessment of its Impact on Councils since Reorganisation in 2003-04 and in future financial years.

Mr Andy Kerr: I am due to meet with COSLA again in the next month to talk about the spending review and the distribution of resources for all local authorities. This will be the forum to discuss such matters.

Local Government Finance

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to discuss Professor Arthur Midwinter’s report Grant Distribution and the Mismatch Effect: An Assessment of its Impact on Councils since Reorganisation with COSLA as part of the Comprehensive Spending Review.

Mr Andy Kerr: I am due to meet with COSLA again in the next month to talk about the spending review and the distribution of resources for all local authorities. This will be the forum to discuss such matters.

Local Government Finance

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has discussed Professor Arthur Midwinter’s report Grant Distribution and the Mismatch Effect: An Assessment of its Impact on Councils since Reorganisation with COSLA and what the outcome of any such decision was.

Mr Andy Kerr: I am due to meet with COSLA again in the next month to talk about the spending review and the distribution of resources for all local authorities. This will be the forum to discuss such matters.

Mental Health

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the total costs to the NHS for the treatment of schizophrenia have been in each year from 1999 to date, broken down by NHS board.

Malcolm Chisholm: The information held centrally is not detailed enough to identify all the costs in the treatment of schizophrenia.

Ministers

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much money has been paid in lump sum payments to former ministers and junior ministers since May 1999.

Mr Andy Kerr: Since May 1999, £98,731.50 has been paid in lump sum payments to former ministers and junior ministers. A further £8,839.50 was paid at the end of May 2002.

NHS Staff

Nicola Sturgeon (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many vacant medical consultant posts there currently are, broken down by speciality and NHS board.

Malcolm Chisholm: A detailed breakdown of the latest available information on the number of vacant medical consultant posts is shown in the following table. The table should be read in conjunction with the following notes.

  The number of higher specialist training posts available in Scotland is regularly adjusted to meet the projected number of new consultants needed to meet known and anticipated turnover and local service developments. The total Specialist Registrar (SpR) establishment was increased by 100 in 2001, a rise of 9%, with many of the increases being in the specialties with the highest levels of vacancies. Additional funding for a further targeted increase of 375 junior doctors was announced on 2 April 2001, for the period to 2004. Targeting will take account of vacancy levels and also of the review of medical workforce planning which is due to report shortly.

  Medical Consultant Vacancies by Specialty and NHS Board Number at 30 September 2000

  

 
 Argyll and Clyde 
 Ayrshire and Arran 
 Borders 
 Dumfries and Galloway 
 Fife 
 Forth Valley 
 Grampian 
 Greater Glasgow 
 Highland 
 Lanarkshire 
 Lothian 
 Shetland 
 Tayside 
 Western Isles 
 Common Services Agency 


 Total Consultant Vacancies 
 12 
 11 
 3 
 6 
 11 
 12 
 9 
 26 
 7 
 24 
 12 
 2 
 11 
 2 
 4 


 Accident and Emergency Medicine 
  
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 1 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 2 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 


 Anaesthetics 
 2 
 1 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 1 
 1 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 5 
 - 
 - 


 Clinical Laboratory Specialties 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 Blood Transfusion 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 2 


 Chemical Pathology 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 1 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 


 Haematology 
 - 
 1 
 2 
 1 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 1 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 1 
 - 
 - 


 Histopathology 
 - 
 2 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 4 
 - 
 2 
 - 
 - 
 1 
 - 
 - 


 Medical Microbiology and Virology 
  
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 1 
 - 
 - 


 Medical Specialties 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 Dermatology 
 1 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 1 
 - 
 - 
 1 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 


 General Medicine (Group) 
 - 
 - 
 1 
 - 
 - 
 1 
 - 
 2 
 2 
 3 
 2 
 - 
 1 
 - 
 - 


 Geriatrics 
 - 
 1 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 1 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 


 Neurology 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 1 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 


 Paediatrics 
 2 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 1 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 1 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 


 Obstetrics and Gynaecology 
 1 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 1 
 1 
 - 
 - 
 1 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 


 Occupational Medicine 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 1 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 


 Psychiatric Specialties 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 Child and Adolescent Psychiatry 
  
 1 
 1 
 - 
 2 
 1 
 - 
 - 
 1 
 - 
 1 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 


 Forensic Psychiatry 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 1 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 1 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 


 General Psychiatry 
 3 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 1 
 2 
 3 
 4 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 


 Psychiatry of Learning Disability 
  
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 1 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 


 Old Age Psychiatry 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 1 
 - 
 - 
 1 
 1 
 - 
 2 
 - 
 - 
 1 
 - 
 - 


 Psychotherapy 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 2 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 


 Radiology 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 Clinical Radiology 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 8 
 4 
 2 
 - 
 - 
 2 
 1 
 - 
 - 
 1 
 - 


 Nuclear Medicine 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 1 
 - 
 - 


 Surgical Specialties 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 Cardiothoracic Surgery 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 3 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 


 ENT Surgery 
 - 
 1 
 - 
 - 
 1 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 


 General Surgery 
 - 
 1 
 - 
 1 
 - 
 2 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 4 
 - 
 2 
 - 
 - 
 - 


 Ophthalmology 
 - 
 1 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 1 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 1 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 


 Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgery 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 1 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 4 
 - 
 3 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 1 
 - 


 Paediatric Surgery 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 1 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 


 Plastic Surgery 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 3 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 


 Urology 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 1 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 


 Public health medicine 
 1 
 2 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 2 
 - 
 1 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 2 


 Community Specialties 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 Breast Screening Service 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 1 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 


 Community Child Health 
 1 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 1 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 
 - 



  Notes:

  1. Data is sourced from the ISD(M)4 collection form and is the latest available.

  2. Information is provided on posts vacant at 30 September 2000 irrespective of when the vacancy arose.

  3. Includes honorary appointments.

  4. Only specialties and NHS boards with consultant vacancies are included.

NHS Staff

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many staff in the Highland NHS Board area have reported an assault; how many of these cases were subsequently reported to the procurator fiscal; in how many of these cases criminal prosecutions were subsequently raised, and how many of these resulted in a conviction, in each of the last two years.

Malcolm Chisholm: The first national collection of data from NHS Boards and Trusts on Violent and Aggressive incidents took place in 2001 for the financial year 2000-01. Collection of the 2001-02 data is currently on-going. Quality assurance of the 2000-01 data has started and once completed will be made available through the Information and Statistics Division of the Common Services Agency. The information will be at NHS board and trust level.

  Information on the reporting of violent incidents to the procurator fiscal, the number of criminal prosecutions, and number of convictions in NHS board areas is not held centrally. The board in question may however have this information locally.

Nursing

Nicola Sturgeon (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many vacant nursing posts there currently are, broken down by NHS board.

Malcolm Chisholm: The information requested is given in the following table, broken down by qualified and unqualified nursing vacancies by NHS board.

  Nursing vacancies1,2 by NHS Board Whole-Time Equivalent: at 31 March 2001

  


 

 
Total Vacancies 
 
Became vacant in: 
 
Vacancies as a percentage of establishment 


 Less 
than 3 Months 
 3 Months 
or more 
 Unknown 
  
 Total 
  
 3 months 
or more 


 Qualified 
  


 Scotland 
  
 1,253.1 
  
 717.6 
  
 192.8 
  
 342.8 
  
 3.7% 
  
 0.6% 
  


 Argyll 
and Clyde2 
 146.8 
  
 60.6 
  
 75.1 
  
 11.1 
  
 6.2% 
  
 3.2% 
  


 Ayrshire 
and Arran 
 52.3 
  
 48.1 
  
 4.2 
  
 0.0 
  
 2.2% 
  
 0.2% 
  


 Borders 
  
 19.0 
  
 15.0 
  
 4.0 
  
 0.0 
  
 4.2% 
  
 0.9% 
  


 Dumfries 
and Galloway 
 2.6 
  
 2.6 
  
 0.0 
  
 0.0 
  
 0.2% 
  
 0.0% 
  


 Fife 
  
 57.0 
  
 48.8 
  
 2.2 
  
 6.0 
  
 2.8% 
  
 0.1% 
  


 Forth 
Valley 
 40.1 
  
 34.6 
  
 5.5 
  
 0.0 
  
 2.5% 
  
 0.3% 
  


 Grampian 
  
 156.3 
  
 122.0 
  
 34.3 
  
 0.0 
  
 4.6% 
  
 1.0% 
  


 Greater 
Glasgow2 
 452.4 
  
 190.5 
  
 39.6 
  
 222.2 
  
 5.6% 
  
 0.5% 
  


 Highland 
  
 36.1 
  
 25.7 
  
 10.4 
  
 0.0 
  
 2.4% 
  
 0.7% 
  


 Lanarkshire2

 4.9 
  
 4.9 
  
 0.0 
  
 0.0 
  
 0.3% 
  
 0.0% 
  


 Lothian 
  
 184.1 
  
 136.5 
  
 6.2 
  
 41.5 
  
 3.5% 
  
 0.1% 
  


 Orkney 
  
 4.0 
  
 1.0 
  
 3.0 
  
 0.0 
  
 2.9% 
  
 2.1% 
  


 Shetland 
  
 7.0 
  
 7.0 
  
 0.0 
  
 0.0 
  
 7.1% 
  
 0.0% 
  


 Tayside 
  
 72.0 
  
 6.3 
  
 7.5 
  
 58.2 
  
 2.3% 
  
 0.2% 
  


 Western 
Isles 
 4.8 
  
 4.0 
  
 0.8 
  
 0.0 
  
 2.0% 
  
 0.3% 
  


 Special 
Health Boards 
 13.8 
  
 10.0 
  
 0.0 
  
 3.8 
  
 4.4% 
  
 0.0% 
  


 Unqualified 
  


 Scotland 
  
 391.5 
  
 196.6 
  
 61.4 
  
 133.5 
  
 2.5% 
  
 0.4% 
  


 Argyll 
and Clyde2 
 52.6 
  
 20.7 
  
 31.9 
  
 0.0 
  
 4.0% 
  
 2.4% 
  


 Ayrshire 
and Arran 
 18.1 
  
 18.1 
  
 0.0% 
  
 0.0 
  
 1.6% 
  
 0.0% 
  


 Borders 
  
 0.0% 
  
 0.0% 
  
 0.0% 
  
 0.0 
  
 0.0% 
  
 0.0% 
  


 Dumfries 
and Galloway 
 8.6 
  
 8.6 
  
 0.0% 
  
 0.0 
  
 1.6% 
  
 0.0% 
  


 Fife 
  
 3.8 
  
 3.3 
  
 0.5 
  
 0.0 
  
 0.5% 
  
 0.1% 
  


 Forth 
Valley 
 17.4 
  
 17.4 
  
 0.0 
  
 0.0 
  
 1.9% 
  
 0.0% 
  


 Grampian 
  
 22.1 
  
 15.5 
  
 6.6 
  
 0.0 
  
 1.5% 
  
 0.4% 
  


 Greater 
Glasgow2 
 138.1 
  
 49.6 
  
 11.4 
  
 77.1 
  
 3.8% 
  
 0.3% 
  


 Highland 
  
 5.2 
  
 4.2 
  
 1.0 
  
 0.0 
  
 0.9% 
  
 0.2% 
  


 Lanarkshire2

 0.0 
  
 0.0 
  
 0.0 
  
 0.0 
  
 0.0% 
  
 0.0% 
  


 Lothian 
  
 88.7 
  
 56.7 
  
 10.0 
  
 22.0 
  
 3.7% 
  
 0.4% 
  


 Orkney 
  
 0.0 
  
 0.0 
  
 0.0 
  
 0.0 
  
 0.0% 
  
 0.0% 
  


 Shetland 
  
 2.0 
  
 2.0 
  
 0.0 
  
 0.0 
  
 4.1% 
  
 0.0% 
  


 Tayside 
  
 10.6 
  
 0.6 
  
 0.0 
  
 10.0 
  
 0.8% 
  
 0.0% 
  


 Western 
Isles 
 0.0 
  
 0.0 
  
 0.0 
  
 0.0 
  
 0.0% 
  
 0.0% 
  


 SNBTS 
  
 24.4 
  
 0.0 
  
 0.0 
  
 24.4 
  
 12.4% 
  
 0.0% 
  


 State 
Hospital Carstairs 
 0.0 
  
 0.0 
  
 0.0 
  
 0.0 
  
 0.0% 
  
 0.0% 
  



  Source: ISD(M)36, ISD Scotland.

  Notes:

  1. Excludes nurses in training.

  2. Lanarkshire Primary Care NHS Trust have not submitted a return and data for Lomond and Argyll Primary Care NHS Trust and North Glasgow University Hospitals NHS Trust were incomplete.

  3. The vacancy figures relate to posts vacant at 31 March 2001, irrespective of when the vacancy arose.

  4. Establishment is the sum of Staff in Post, Posts Under Review and Total Vacancies.

Parliamentary Questions

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will provide a substantive answer to question S1W-21658 lodged on 10 January 2002.

Malcolm Chisholm: I replied to the member on 21   May.

Recycling

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it takes to ensure that all empty photocopier, ink jet and laser jet cartridges used in its offices are recycled or disposed of in an environmentally safe way.

Mr Andy Kerr: In accordance with the Executive’s Greening Government policy, staff are encouraged to reduce, reuse, repair and recycle waste. In addition, the Executive’s contract for IT consumables, which includes ink jet and laser jet cartridges, obliges the contractor to recycle used cartridges. Where re-use is not possible, the waste is disposed of in a manner that does not harm the environment.

  In respect of photocopier cartridges, the Executive is currently considering the options for recycling and expects, when it enters into a new photocopier contract later this year, to have a similar obligation on the contractor as is the case for IT consumables.

School Meals

Tommy Sheridan (Glasgow) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many school age children live in households that it defines as poor and are ineligible for free school meals.

Ms Margaret Curran: There is no single definition of child poverty.   Household income is one way of measuring child poverty, but we also understand child poverty in a wider sense focusing on giving all children the best start in life, and providing appropriate and integrated services for children in health, education and housing. In order to have a detailed understanding of children in low-income families we track a number of measurements, as outlined in our Social Justice Annual Report and listed in the answer given to question S1W-25985 today.

  We are committed to improving the school meals service across Scotland by improving nutritional standards, making school meals more attractive to all children and ending stigma attached to receiving free school meals. We are taking steps to ensure that the poorest families are getting maximum benefit from free school meals, from both a health and income perspective.

  The current system of qualification for free school meals is well targeted. In terms of our 60% median absolute measure (after housing costs), 22% of school-age children are in low-income households. Approximately 20% of school-age children in Scotland qualify for a free school meal.

Voluntary Sector

Mrs Lyndsay McIntosh (Central Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to encourage sustainable public sector funding practices in relation to the voluntary sector.

Ms Margaret Curran: The Scottish Executive recognises the need for long term, sustainable funding for voluntary organisations. To assist in this the Executive, as part of its review of its own direct funding of the voluntary sector, has committed itself to the provision of three-year funding packages where appropriate and three-year finance to local authorities, which should in turn enable them to offer three-year funding to voluntary organisations.

  The Executive has also recognised the need to develop new types of funding and has established Social Investment Scotland. In September 2001, the Executive, in partnership with Scotland's four clearing banks, Scottish Enterprise, Highlands and Islands Enterprise and Scottish Homes, launched the £5 million investment fund to support the development of the social economy. The fund will provide development advice and loan funding for social enterprises unable to access loan finance from traditional sources.

  Following on from its review of direct funding, the Executive is committed to conducting a strategic review of funding for the voluntary sector that will look at how public funding meets the needs of the sector. This review will consider whether it is possible for all funders of the sector to work together to ensure that they are operating in a way that meets their own needs and those of the sector. This review is due to commence in the summer, and discussions on how best to take work forward are taking place with SCVO and COSLA.

  In addition, the Executive is continuing to implement the Scottish Compact and Good Practice Guides, which include advice on best practice in funding of voluntary organisations.

Voluntary Sector

Mrs Lyndsay McIntosh (Central Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many public sector bodies have developed policy statements on volunteering and supporting community action.

Hugh Henry: Information on how many public agencies have volunteering policy statements is not collected centrally. However, guidance on volunteering policies was issued to the health service in 1998 and 2000 requesting that a policy statement on volunteering in their area be submitted to the Scottish Executive Health Department. Policies have been submitted from all NHS boards and nearly all NHS trusts. Similarly, guidance in volunteering policies for local authorities was issued in 2000 jointly by COSLA and Volunteer Development Scotland and we understand that around two thirds of local authorities currently have specific volunteering policies.

Voluntary Sector

Mrs Lyndsay McIntosh (Central Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how it plans to reduce bureaucracy and streamline the procedures for voluntary organisations when applying to it for funding.

Ms Margaret Curran: The Scottish Executive published on 9 May its response to its consultation on the review of direct funding for the voluntary sector. This response details the Executive’s plans to reform the arrangements for direct funding of the voluntary sector in Scotland. A number of principles and processes aimed at making it easier for voluntary organisations to apply to the Executive for funding will be adopted. These include:

  Making available on the Scottish Executive website information on the funding opportunities available and producing a published version annually.

  Introducing a single core application form for all Scottish Executive funding for the voluntary sector.

  Introducing standard packages of funding conditions, appropriate to the differing levels of funding.

  Discussing with the sector the formats in which the funding process may be delivered, seeking to move to electronic delivery for those organisations that want it.

  A copy of the Executive’s response to the consultation on the review of direct funding for the voluntary sector is available from the Parliament’s Reference Centre.

Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body

Recycling

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Presiding Officer what steps the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body takes to ensure that all empty photocopier, ink jet and laser jet cartridges used in the Parliament offices are recycled or disposed of in an environmentally safe way.

Sir David Steel: The Facilities Management (FM) Office replaces printer, fax machine and photocopier cartridges. Spent cartridges are stored on-site and uplifted periodically by the supplier for recycling.